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 When power plants burn coal, ash is produced.
Often containing high levels of arsenic, lead and other heavy metals, the coal ash is usually stored in wet ponds or dry pits around the country.
North Carolina has 13 coal ash pits, and leads the nation in the number of pits that contain high levels of toxic heavy metals, according to a national report released by the Earthjustice and Environmental Integrity Project Wednesday.
The North Carolina portion of the report was compiled by the Watauga Riverkeeper team of Appalachian Voices, and is based on data reported to state regulators by Duke Energy and Progress Energy.
Donna Lisenby, Upper Watauga Riverkeeper, said six pits in the state contained high levels of contamination, including Progress Energy’s Sutton Steam Plant in Wilmington that contained arsenic levels as high as 29 times federal standards.
“When the heavy metals leaks out of ash ponds to the ground water, there’s nothing left to keep it from entering streams, rivers and other waterways,” Lisenby said. “It’s like a pit bull in a yard with no fence around it, and they want you to think the pit bull is safe inside the yard without a fence, but it’s not.”
All of the pits are adjacent to river banks, and have monitoring wells or impenetrable liners to prevent leakage into groundwater or waterways.
The wells are used to measure the extent of groundwater contamination, but Lisenby said most are not sufficient enough.
Duke Energy operates seven pits in North Carolina and does not see coal ash as a potentially hazardous material.
“We do not believe the ash ponds are dangerous to public health and we have operated coal-ash ponds for many years and we meet [all standards],” Duke Energy Spokesman Andy Thompson said. “Many of these groups have an agenda and push for a hazardous designation of coal ash.”
Shea R. Tuberty, department of biology associate professor, has worked with the Watauga Riverkeepers, and analyzed samples of coal ash for heavy metals.
“These companies might be in compliance with state regulations, but over the long term, how much [coal ash] is getting into the ecosystem and the food web,” Tuberty said. “Most of these [ponds and pits] are not lined and are loaded with coal ash that leeches out through the bottom.”
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency does not consider coal ash a hazardous material, but is currently reviewing its stance.
If the material does receive a hazardous designation, stricter regulations and oversight on coal ash storage would probably follow.
“We do have an agenda to protect human health from heavy metal contamination,” Lisenby said. “Groundwater is drinking water, and we wish that power plants like Duke and Progress cared as much and would get serious about stopping these leaking heavy metals from these coal ash pits.”
Story: NASH DUNN, News Reporter
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